What is Work Integrated Learning?
It’s much more than just work experience…
Work integrated learning (WIL) is about learning through work and work-like experience. Students engage with a work experience and learn about professional work, possible careers, and themselves.
“Work integrated learning is deliberate and intentional learning in work, supported by appropriate induction of students and supervisors, and imaginatively embedded assessment.” 1
The University of Canberra has adopted work integrated learning as one of its five “signature themes” for educational programs and is pursuing a comprehensive agenda to embed WIL as an important component of professionally-oriented courses at the University. WIL already has a significant presence at UC, and manifests in a number of forms.
1. Developed from Orrell 2004 and Washbourn 1996 and adopted by the WIL Working Group in 2009.
Orrell, J. (2004). Work-integrated learning programmes: management and educational quality. Paper presented at the Australian Universities Quality Forum 2004.
Washbourn, P. (1996). Experiential learning: Is experience the best teacher? Liberal Education, 82(3), 1 - 10.